Why Elvis Presley was so popular, despite his excesses

Entertainment and Pop Culture
1

For all of you who were Elvis Presley fans, and perhaps especially for those who were not particularly his fans, this site tells you why he was so popular from a purely musical standpoint.
http://www.elvislightedcandle.org/withoutasong.htm
One example:
“Elvis Presley has been described variously as a baritone and a tenor. An extraordinary compass- the so-called register-, and a very wide range of vocal color have something to do with this divergence of opinion. The voice covers two octaves and a third, from the baritone low-G to the tenor high B, with an upward extension in falsetto to at least a D flat. Presley’s best octave is in the middle, D-flat to D-flat, granting an extra full step up or down. Call him a high baritone. In “It’s’now or never”, (1960), he ends it in a full voice cadence (A, G, F), that has nothing to do with the vocal devices of Rhythm and Blues and Country. That A-note is hit right on the nose, and it is rendered less astonishing only by the number of tracks where he lands easy and accurate B-flats. Moreover, he has not been confined to one type of vocal production. In ballads and country songs he belts out full-voiced high G’s and A’s that an opera baritone might envy. He is a naturally assimilative stylist with a multiplicity of voices - in fact, Elvis’ is an extraordinary voice, or many voices”

2

While I agree with all that, you and I know it was the shakin’ in the hips that made Elvis popular.

3
While I agree with all that, you and I know it was the shakin' in the hips that made Elvis popular.
I know. Well it was a LITTLE more than that. A lot of singers shook their hips and did'nt get the popularity Elvis had. I just think it's interesting that he was a musician in the true genius caregory. Something I hadn't realized at the time.
4

OK, having a great voice helped. My female friends also tell me he was sexy. That never hurts when it comes to fame. Seriously, John Lennon and Paul McCartney cited Elvis as a huge influence. That counts for a lot.

5
While I agree with all that, you and I know it was the shakin' in the hips that made Elvis popular.
I know. Well it was a LITTLE more than that. A lot of singers shook their hips and did'nt get the popularity Elvis had. I just think it's interesting that he was a musician in the true genius caregory. Something I hadn't realized at the time.Uh, true musician, definitely, true genius, definitely not. He sang standard issue songs, sang'em great, added his unique touch, but genius? Not by a long shot. I think he was alot like Game of Thrones...publicly sanctioned/allowed soft porn that otherwise innocent folks could indulge in. In his case, in his day that is, soft porn being his sexual gyrations, which of course are timid today. But he allowed young gals to indulge their otherwise forbidden lusts (all perfectly acceptable btw, I'm not putting it down by any means.).
6

I agree with you, Cuthbert. Elvis had a great voice, but that doesn’t mean he was a genius. As far as I know he didn’t write any songs, he just sang what his manager told him to sing. That doesn’t take away from his accomplishments or his influence, and I’m just nit picking the word “genius” used to describe Elvis.